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L16I— O-1096 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

Agricultural  Experiment  Station 


BULLETIN  No.  281 


A  COMPARISON 


OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR 


GROWING  AND  FATTENING  SWINE 


AND  FOR  BROOD  SOWS 


BY  J.  B.  RICE,  H.  H.  MITCHELL,  AND  R.  J.  LAIBLE 


URBANA,  ILLINOIS,  DECEMBER,  1926 


SUMMARY 

The  experiments  reported  in  this  bulletin  were  undertaken  to 
compare  the  feeding  value  of  white  and  yellow  corn  in  rations  for 
breeding  sows  and  for  weanling  and  fattening  pigs.  It  was  desired 
also  to  ascertain  how  white  corn  might  be  supplemented  in  order  to 
make  it  as  satisfactory  as  yellow  corn  for  this  purpose. 

It  was  found  that  sows  raised  on  normal  rations  could  be  car- 
ried thru  two  gestation  and  suckling  periods  on  a  ration  of  white 
corn,  white-corn  bran,  and  tankage  without  evident  effect  on  the 
number  of  pigs  farrowed  or  weaned  or  upon  the  growth  of  the  pigs 
during  the  suckling  period.  The  continued  feeding  of  this  ration, 
however,  resulted  in  serious  impairment  of  the  reproductive  powers 
of  one  sow,  her  third  and  fourth  litters  being  farrowed  dead.  With 
the  addition  of  1  percent  of  cod-liver  oil  to  the  ration  during  the 
fifth  gestation,  this  sow  farrowed  a  litter  of  normal  pigs. 

Normal  weanling  pigs  which  were  farrowed  by  sows  carried 
thru  their  gestation  periods  on  white  corn  rations  were  continued  on 
a  ration  of  white  corn  and  tankage.  They  failed  to  thrive  and  ulti- 
mately developed  pathological  symptoms  and  died.  Pigs  farrowed 
by  sows  not  on  experiment  and  raised  on  normal  rations  to  60  or  70 
pounds  were  eventually  handicapped  by  white  corn  feeding  altho 
they  made  normal  gains  for  several  weeks.  At  weights  of  175  to 
200  pounds  they  developed  characteristic  symptoms  of  white  corn 
feeding  and  finished  poorly. 

Small  amounts  of  alfalfa  meal  (a  little  more  than  an  ounce 
a  head  daily)  proved  entirely  effective  in  correcting  the  deficiencies 
of  a  ration  of  white  corn  and  tankage  fed  pigs  while  growing  and 
fattening  from  weights  of  60  to  227  pounds. 

Apparently  it  was  a  lack  of  vitamin  A  that  caused  the  unfor- 
tunate results  when  sows  and  pigs  were  continued  on  the  white  corn 
ration  for  too  long  a  time,  for  when  that  factor  was  supplied  by 
adding  small  amounts  of  alfalfa  meal  or  cod-liver  oil  the  pigs  devel- 
oped normally  and  the  sows  farrowed  normal  litters.  While  white 
corn  may  be  deficient  in  vitamin  D  as  well  as  vitamin  A,  it  is  con- 
sidered improbable  that  such  a  deficiency  could  have  affected  the  re- 
sults, since  sunshine  apparently  removes  the  necessity  for  that  vita- 
min in  the  feed,  and  all  the  pigs  in  these  experiments  were  confined 
to  open  dry  lots,  allowing  as  great  exposure  to  direct  sunlight  as  the 
weather  would  permit. 


A  COMPARISON 

OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR 

GROWING  AND  FATTENING  SWINE 

AND  FOR  BROOD  SOWS 

BY  J.  B.  RICE,  H.  H.  MITCHELL,  AND  R.  J. 


The  experiments  reported  in  this  bulletin  were  undertaken  with 
two  general  purposes  in  view:  first,  to  compare  the  feeding  value  of 
white  and  yellow  corn  for  pigs  under  various  conditions,  and  second, 
to  investigate  the  relative  vitamin  A  requirements  of  pigs  for  growth 
and  reproduction.  It  was  also  decided  to  obtain  some  information 
concerning  supplements  for  white  corn  rations  that  would  adequately 
take  care  of  the  known  deficiency  of  this  cereal  in  vitamins. 

At  the  present  time  there  can  be  little  question  that  yellow  corn 
under  certain  conditions  of  restricted  feeding  has  a  higher  nutritive 
value  than  white  corn.  It  is  equally  true,  however,  that  from  the 
standpoint  of  crop  production  white  corn,  in  certain  localities,  is  con- 
sidered a  more  suitable  crop  than  yellow  corn.  For  such  localities  it  is 
certainly  of  great  practical  importance  to  understand  the  possible 
methods  of  supplementing  white  corn  so  as  to  make  it  equal  in  value 
to  yellow  corn. 

In  the  dry-lot  feeding  of  pigs,  rations  comparatively  low  in  vita- 
min A  are  frequently  fed  —  rations,  for  example,  made  up  largely  of 
white  corn,  oats,  tankage,  fish  meal,  gluten  feed,  linseed  meal,  or  skim 
milk.  It  is  of  considerable  interest,  therefore,  to  ascertain  whether 
such  rations  are  deficient  in  this  vitamin  for  swine,  or  whether  swine 
do  not  require  vitamin  A,  or  require  it  in  such  small  quantities  that 
even  such  rations  will  contain  it  in  ample  concentration. 

An  experiment  reported  by  Zilva,  Golding,  Drummond,  and 
Coward2  indicates  that  the  requirement  of  vitamin  A  by  growing  pigs 
is  of  a  low  order.  One  pig  that  had  from  birth  received  a  ration  very 
low  in  the  vitamin  grew  well  for  about  a  month  ;  with  the  cessation  of 
growth,  cream  was  added  to  the  diet  for  13  days,  and  crude  casein  for 
the  following  19  days.  Upon  again  being  placed  on  the  ration  low  in 
vitamin  A,  growth  was  continued  for  over  three  months  at  a  rate 
greater  than  in  the  controls.  This  experiment  is  a  striking  illustration 
of  a  fact  which  has  been  discovered  recently  with  respect  to  vitamin  A, 
namely,  that  growing  animals  receiving  rations  rich  in  the  vitamin  are 

MOHN  B.  RICE,  formerly  Assistant  Chief  in  Swine  Husbandry;  H.  H. 
MITCHELL,  Chief  in  Animal  Nutrition;  RUSSELL  J.  LAIBLE,  formerly  First  Assistant 
in  Animal  Husbandry. 

2Zilva,  S.  S.,  Golding,  J.,  Drummond,  J.  C.,  and  Coward,  K.  H.  Jour. 
Biochem.  15,  427.  1921. 

179 


180  BULLETIN  No.  281  [December, 

able  to  store  such  quantities  of  it  in  their  bodies  as  to  tide  them  over  a 
considerable  period  of  time  on  rations  very  greatly  deficient  in  the 
vitamin. 

The  discovery  by  Steenbock  and  Boutwell1  that  white  corn  does 
not  contain  any  demonstrable  amount  of  vitamin  A  made  possible  the 
execution  of  large-scale  experiments  on  swine,  designed  to  determine 
whether  these  animals  require  the  vitamin,  and  if  so,  to  what  extent. 
Accordingly  an  experiment  of  this  character  was  planned  as  a  cooper- 
ative project  between  the  Swine  and  Animal  Nutrition  Divisions  of  the 
Department  of  Animal  Husbandry  of  this  Station.  The  experiment 
was  started  on  December  4,  1920.  At  about  that  time  the  authors 
learned  of  some  work  of  the  same  nature  which  had  been  under  way 
at  the  University  of  Wisconsin  since  July  of  the  same  year. 

Since  then  Morrison,  Bohstedt,  and  Fargo2  have  reported  several 
feeding  trials  with  pigs  started  at  weights  of  50  to  60  pounds  and  car- 
ried to  200  pounds,  comparing  the  feeding  value  of  white  and  yellow 
corn  In  all  these  trials  the  pigs  were  self- fed.  They  all  showed  clearly 
that  yellow  corn  produces  decidedly  larger  and  more  economical  gains 
than  white  corn  when  fed  to  pigs  in  dry  lot  with  such  supplements  as 
skim  milk,  whey,  or  linseed  meal,  none  of  which  is  rich  in  vitamin  A. 
For  pigs  on  excellent  pasture  there  has  been  no  difference  in  value  be- 
tween white  and  yellow  corn.  In  the  autumn,  however,  when  the 
pasture  became  scant,  the  pigs  on  white  corn  soon  began  to  fall  behind 
those  receiving  the  yellow  corn.  Later,  when  the  two  lots  were  taken 
off  pasture,  those  fed  yellow  corn  far  outstripped  the  white  corn  lot. 
When  fed  with  tankage  or  meat  meal,  yellow  corn  has  usually  proved 
decidedly  better  than  white  corn,  tho  in  two  tests  little  or  no  difference 
between  the  two  was  demonstrated.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  tankage 
is  probably  absolutely  devoid  of  all  vitamins,  owing  to  the  high  tem- 
perature to  which  it  is  exposed  in  the  process  of  preparation,3  the  vari- 
able results  obtained  with  this  supplement  are  noteworthy,  as  are  the 
uniformly  disastrous  results  obtained  with  skim  milk,  which  is  ordi- 
narily considered  as  containing  appreciable  amounts  of  the  vitamin. 

Comparative  results  with  white  and  yellow  varieties  of  corn  sim- 
ilar to  those  reported  from  the  Wisconsin  Station  have  been  reported 
also  from  the  Nebraska  Station.4  More  recently  Lamb  and  Evvard5 
have  reported  experiments  which  indicate:  first,  that  on  a  white  corn 
ration  containing  no  vitamin  A  supplement,  a  sow  may  farrow  a  litter 
and  suckle  it  successfully,  and  second,  that  for  growth  and  fattening 


'Steenbock,  H.,  and  Boutwell,  P.  W.    Jour.  Biol.  Chem.  41,  81.    1920. 
zWis.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Buls.  323  and  339.   Ann.  Rpts.  1919-20  and  1920-21. 
"Bohstedt,  G.,  Hunt,  C.  H.,  Winter,  A.  R.,  and  Miller,  R.  C.    Proc.  Amer 
Soc.  Anim.  Prod.  1923,  34. 

4Nebr.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Ann.  Rpt.   1921.   20,  23. 

"Lamb,  A.  R.,  and  Evvard,  J.  M.   Proc.  Amer.  Soc.  Anim.  Prod.    1923,  136 


1926]  A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE  181 

from  125  to  265  pounds,  there  is  no  difference  in  the  nutritive  value  of 
white  and  yellow  corn. 

It  has  recently  been  shown  at  the  Wisconsin  Station  in  work  with 
growing  chickens  that  yellow  corn  may  be  superior  to  white  in  its  con- 
tent of  vitamin  D  (the  anti-rachitic  vitamin),  as  well  as  in  vitamin 
A.  For  young  growing  chicks,  which  are  frequently  kept  indoors,  this 
difference  in  vitamin  D  content  is  undoubtedly  of  importance,  but  for 
young  growing  swine  it  is  certainly  of  less  importance,  since  they  are 
not  ordinarily  confined  indoors  except  for  the  first  week  or  two  of  life. 
Direct  sunshine  apparently  can  remove  the  necessity  of  supplementing 
rations  of  growing  animals  with  respect  to  vitamin  D.  For  this  reason 
feeding  tests  with  swine  that  compare  the  value  of  white  and  yellow 
corn  under  practical  farm  conditions  can  reasonably  be  interpreted 
with  reference  to  vitamin  A  only. 

GENERAL  PLAN  OF  THE  EXPERIMENTS 

Since  Steenbock  and  Boutwell  found  that  of  the  varieties  of  white 
corn  tested  by  them,  Silver  Mine  contained  the  least  vitamin  A,  in 
fact  no  demonstrable  amount,  Silver  Mine  was  used  in  these  tests.  The 
ration  of  white  corn  and  tankage  was  tested  thoroly  with  rats,  to  de- 
termine its  relative  concentration  of  vitamin  A. 

The  first  experiment  was  concerned  with  the  relative  values  of 
white  and  yellow  corn  for  brood  sows.  Eight  sows  were  divided  into 
two  equal  groups;  one  group  received  yellow  corn,  yellow-corn  bran, 
and  tankage,  and  the  other  white  corn,  white-corn  bran,  and  tankage. 

The  sows  were  kept  on  the  experimental  rations  from  the  time 
they  were  bred  thru  two  successive  gestation  periods.  Two  of  the  sows 
fed  white  corn  were  bred  a  third  time,  and  records  on  a  third  litter 
were  obtained.  One  of  these  sows  died  shortly  after  farrowing  her 
third  litter.  The  other  sow  was  bred  and  carried  thru  a  fourth  gesta- 
tion period.  To  determine  whether  the  disastrous  results  of  this  fourth 
gestation  were  due  to  vitamin  deficiency,  this  sow  was  bred  and  car- 
ried thru  a  fifth  gestation  period  on  a  ration  of  white  corn  supple- 
mented with  cod-liver  oil. 

An  attempt  was  made  to  raise  the  first  litters,  farrowed  in  the 
spring,  on  the  same  rations  as  their  dams  during  their  gestation  periods, 
except  that  corn  bran  was  omitted.  They  were  accordingly  divided 
into  two  lots  corresponding  to  the  two  rations  under  trial,  and  were 
hand-fed,  so  that  the  feed  intake  of  the  two  groups  was  kept  approxi- 
mately the  same  per  unit  of  weight.  Otherwise,  as  was  amply  shown 
by  the  Wisconsin  experiments,  the  lots  fed  yellow  corn  would  have 
consumed  more  feed  than  those  fed  white  corn,  and  the  difference  in 
the  results  secured  on  the  two  rations  would  have  been  due  to  a  differ- 
ence in  the  amount  of  feed  consumed  as  well  as  to  a  difference  in  vita- 


182  BULLETIN  No.  281  [December, 

min  intake.  It  was  thought  that  in  such  case  possible  effects  might 
be  accentuated  or  obscured  by  effects  due  simply  to  undernutrition. 

In  order  to  test  further  the  two  rations  with  growing  pigs,  another 
experiment  was  performed  using  two  lots  of  eight  pigs  each,  farrowed 
from  sows  not  on  experiment  and  raised  on  normal  rations  in  pasture 
lots  to  a  weight  of  about  70  pounds.  In  this  test  also  the  rations  were 
hand-fed  and  the  intake  was  equalized  as  before. 

In  a  third  growth  experiment  four  lots  of  twenty  pigs  each,  with 
average  initial  weights  of  a  little  over  60  pounds,  were  started  on  the 
following  four  rations:  (1)  Silver  Mine  corn  and  tankage;  (2)  yellow 
corn  and  tankage;  (3)  Silver  Mine  corn,  tankage,  and  alfalfa 
meal;  and  (4)  White  Democrat  corn  and  tankage.  The  latter 
variety  of  corn  is  a  semi-flint,  pure-white  corn,  the  growing  of 
which  is  being  advocated  in  southern  Illinois  because  of  its  resist- 
ance to  the  chinch  bug.  All  lots  in  this  experiment  were  self-fed.  This 
experiment  furnished  some  information  on  the  extent  to  which  alfalfa 
meal,  known  to  be  an  excellent  source  of  vitamin  A,  will  supplement 
the  vitamin  deficiencies  of  white  corn. 

In  a  final  experiment  two  lots  of  ten  pigs  each,  with  initial  weights 
averaging  50  pounds,  were  self-fed  a  ration  of  white  corn  and  tankage. 
One  of  the  lots  received  an  amount  of  cod-liver  oil  equivalent  to  1  per- 
cent of  the  ration.  The  results  of  this  experiment  indicated  directly 
that  the  difference  in  food  value  between  white  and  yellow  corn  shown 
in  the  preceding  experiments  was  due  entirely  to  a  difference  in  vita- 
min A  content. 

PRELIMINARY  FEEDING  TESTS  WITH  RATS 

In  order  to  test  the  relative  vitamin  content  jof  the  rations  used  in 
these  swine  experiments,  on  animals  thoroly  standardized  with  respect 
to  vitamin  A,  some  feeding  experiments  were  undertaken  with  rats. 
The  rats  weighed  from  40  to  60  grams  and  were  divided  into  five  pairs. 
One  rat  of  each  pair  was  fed  a  ration  containing  white  corn  85  percent 
and  tankage  15  percent,  while  the  other  rat  received  a  ration  of  yellow 
corn  85  percent  and  tankage  15  percent.  In  carrying  out  this  test  the 
intake  of  food  of  the  rat  fed  yellow  corn  was  restricted  to  approxi- 
mately that  of  its  pair  mate  receiving  the  white  corn  ration.  By  this 
means  the  difference  in  growth  secured  would  be  due  entirely  to  the 
difference  in  the  vitamin  content  of  the  rations.  The  results  of  this 
experiment  are  given  in  Table  1. 

For  each  pair,  after  the  fourth  or  fifth  week,  the  rat  fed  yellow 
corn  was  maintained  at  a  higher  weight  than  the  one  fed  white  corn. 
The  difference  in  condition  between  the  rats  of  each  pair  was  even 
more  striking  than  the  difference  in  weight.  In  two  of  the  pairs  the 
rat  fed  white  corn  died  on  the  58th  day  of  the  experiment.  With  all 
pairs  the  rats  fed  white  corn  developed  ophthalmia  (eye  soreness) .  At 
the  end  of  ten  weeks  the  experiment  was  discontinued,  since  at  that 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


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184  BULLETIN  No.  281  [December, 

time  the  rats  fed  white  corn  were  apparently  on  the  verge  of  death.  It 
is  evident  from  this  experiment  that  when  the  intake  of  yellow  corn  is 
kept  as  low  as  that  of  white  corn  a  distinct  difference  in  nutritive  con- 
dition will  still  be  manifested. 

WHITE  CORN  FEEDING  FOR  BROOD  SOWS  RAISED 

ON  WELL-BALANCED  RATIONS  PROVES  INFERIOR 
ONLY  AFTER  TWO  GESTATIONS 

Eight  sows  that  had  been  raised  on  well-balanced  rations  were 
selected  for  this  experiment,  and  were  divided  into  groups  of  four  each. 
Each  group  contained  one  sow  each  of  the  following  four  breeds: 
Duroc-Jersey,  Poland  China,  Hampshire,  and  Chester  White.  The 
Chester  White  sow  in  the.  yellow  corn  group  proved  not  to  be  in  pig, 
and  was  replaced  late  in  the  experiment  by  a  Duroc-Jersey  sow.  The 
previous  history  of  these  sows  in  so  far  as  it  relates  to  this  experiment 
is  contained  in  Table  2. 

First  Gestation  Period. — The  sows  were  started  on  experiment 
December  4,  1920.  One  group  was  fed  yellow  corn,  yellow-corn  bran, 
and  tankage,  and  the  other  group  was  fed  white  corn,  white-corn  bran,, 
and  tankage.  The  sows  had  previously  been  bred  to  boars  of  their 
respective  breeds  so  that  they  would  farrow  some  time  during  March 
or  the  first  part  of  April. 

The  yellow  corn  used  was  of  the  Reid  Yellow  Dent  variety.  The 
white  corn  was  of  the  White  Silver  Mine  variety ;  it  was  locally  grown 
and  contained  only  an  occasional  yellow  grain.  From  December  4  to 
June  15  the  feeds  were  sampled  daily,  and  composite  samples  were 
analyzed  with  the  results  shown  in  Table  3. 

The  sows  farrowed  in  a  large,  half-monitor  hog  house.  As  soon  as 
possible  after  farrowing,  the  sows  and  their  litters  were  transferred  to 
small  dry  lots,  each  sow  and  her  litter  having  a  separate  lot.  The  lots 
were  entirely  free  of  vegetation,  and  contained  portable  sheds  and 
some  artificial  shade. 

The  feed  consumed  by  the  individual  sows  during  the  first  gesta- 
tion period  and  the  changes  in  weight  of  the  sows  are  shown  in 
Table  4.  Considerable  variation  existed  among  the  sows  in  the  two 
groups  with  respect  to  the  rate  and  economy  of  gains  during  the  first 
gestation  period.  The  differences  between  the  average  figures,  gener- 
ally favoring  the  sows  fed  white  corn,  are  therefore  of  no  significance 
with  reference  to  the  difference  in  feeding.  There  was  nothing  in  the 
appearance,  health,  or  thrift  of  the  sows  indicating  any  inferiority  of 
the  white  corn  ration. 

The  sows  fed  white  corn  farrowed  on  an  average  more  pigs  per 
litter  than  those  fed  yellow  corn,  tho  again  the  differences  between 
individual  sows  were  so  great  that  it  is  impossible  to  say  whether  they 
bore  any  relation  to  the  difference  in  ration.  The  average  weight  of 


1926] 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


185 


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186 


BULLETIN  No.  281 


[December, 


litters  was  practically  the  same  in  the  two  groups,  but  the  average 
weight  per  pig  was  greater  in  the  yellow  corn  group.  This  greater 
average  weight  of  pigs  farrowed  in  the  yellow  corn  group  is  probably 
related  to  the  smaller  litters  in  this  group  rather  than  to  the  difference 
in  feeding.1 

First  Suckling  Period. — The  sows  were  continued  on  the  same 
ration  thruout  the  suckling  period.  They  were  fed  approximately  the 
same  amounts  of  feed  daily  per  100  pounds  weight  of  sow  and  litter. 

TABLE  3. — CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  OF  FEEDS  USED  IN  EXPERIMENT 
(Samples  collected  from  December  4  to  June  15) 


Dry 

substance 

N-free 
extract 

Crude 
fiber 

Crude 
protein 

Ether 
extract 

Ash 

Yellow  corn  

87  28 

71  96 

2  22 

9  01 

2  64 

1  25 

White  corn  (Silver  Mine).  . 
Yellow-corn  bran  

88.38 
91.76 

73.59 
70  49 

2.51 
9  66 

9.40 
7.86 

1.39 
1.96 

1.35 

1.78 

White-corn  bran  

92.32 

66  91 

6  55 

12  12 

3  61 

3.10 

Tankage  (Swift  &  Co.)  .  .  . 

91.43 

1.29 

1.23 

58.51 

8.58 

21.71 

The  feed  and  weight  records  of  sows  and  pigs  during  the  first  suckling 
period  are  contained  in  Table  5. 

The  sows  fed  yellow  corn  raised  larger  litters,  on  an  average,  than 
the  sows  fed  white  corn,  tho  this  difference  is  due  entirely  to  the  poor 
performance  of  one  sow  (40  H)  in  the  group  fed  white  corn.  The 
average  weights  of  pigs  at  weaning  time  and  the  average  daily  gain  per 
pig  wrere  practically  the  same  for  the  two  groups.  The  sows  fed  yellow 
corn  lost  more  in  weight  on  an  average  than  the  sows  fed  white  corn, 
tho  this  difference  cannot  be  said  to  be  related  to  the  difference  in 
feeding,  because  of  the  great  variation  existing  among  the  individual 
sows  in  each  group. 

Second  Gestation  Period. — The  first  litters  were  all  weaned  in 
May  or  the  early  part  of  June.  The  sows  were  kept  on  the  same  ra- 
tion and  were  bred  as  soon  as  possible  for  fall  litters.  One  sow  in  the 
group  fed  yellow  corn  failed  to  come  in  heat  and  was  taken  out  of  the 
experiment.  During  the  second  gestation  period  the  sows  were  fed  in 
two  groups  instead  of  individually,  as  in  the  first  gestation  period. 
Data  comparing  weights  of  sows  and  feed  consumed  during  the  second 
gestation  period  are  contained  in  Table  6. 

While  the  sows  fed  yellow  corn  produced  on  an  average  slightly 
more  rapid  and  slightly  more  economical  gains  than  those  fed  white 
corn,  the  differences  were  so  small  as  probably  to  be  insignificant.  Both 
groups  of  sows  were  in  good  condition  at  farrowing  time. 

The  litters  farrowed  by  the  sows  fed  yellow  corn  were  on  the  aver- 
age larger  in  number  and  the  pigs  slightly  heavier  in  weight.  However, 
in  view  of  the  marked  differences  existing  among  the  different  sows,  it 


'Carmichael,  W.  J.,  and  Rice,    J.  B.  111.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bui.  226.   1920. 


1926] 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


187 


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BULLETIN  No.  281 


[December, 


TABLE  5.  —  FEED  AND  WEIGHT  RECORDS  OF  Sows  AND  PIGS  DURING  THE  FIRST  SUCKLING  PERIOD 
(56  days) 
(All  weights  in  pounds) 

White  corn 

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is  calculated  by  substracting  weight  of  litter  from  weight  of  sow  previous  to  farrowing.  2Two  pigs  were  stolen 
ed  first  night.  Three  pigs  were  transferred  to  No.  30  Hampshire  sow,  March  16  and  17.  4Sow  lay  on  3  pigs 
3  from  No.  1  Poland  China  sow.  8Sow  lay  on  2  pigs  April  11.  6One  pig  was  farrowed  immaturely,  weight 
the  first  day.  7Sow  lay  on  2  pigs  the  first  and  second  days.  One  pig  would  not  stay  with  sow.  8One  pig  was 
aund.  Sow  lay  on  4  pigs  by  April  11.  One  pig  starved  April  16.  Two  Duroc-  Jersey  pigs  were  added  to  lit- 
6.5  and  6.0  pounds.  Sow  lay  on  the  latter  pig  May  4,  weight  10.7  pounds.  9Sow  lay  on  3  pigs  April  6  and  1 
refer  to  the  one  pig  in  this  litter  raised  from  birth  by  Sow  40  H. 

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farrowed  dead,  weight  1.5  p 
ter  on  April  16,  at  weights  ol 
pig  April  14.  10These  figures 

1926] 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


189 


is  impossible  to  conclude  that  these  average  differences  in  size  and 
weight  of  litters  are  due  to  the  difference  in  feeding.  The  pigs  from 
the  sows  fed  white  corn  appeared  to  be  strong  and  normal  in  every 
way. 

Second   Suckling   Period. — The    sows   were    continued   on   their 
rations  of  white  or  yellow  corn,  corn  bran,  and  tankage  thruout  the 

TABLE  6. — FEED  AND  WEIGHT  RECORDS  OF  Sows  DURING  THE  SECOND 

GESTATION  PERIOD 
(All  weights  in  pounds) 


Yellow  corn 

White  corn 

Number  of  sows  

41 

4 

Days  on  experiment  

142 

152 

Weights 
Average  initial  weight  

321 

352 

Average  final  weight  

462 

461 

Average  daily  gain  

.92 

.87 

Average  daily  ration 
Corn  .... 

3.66 

3.49 

Tankage  

46 

.47 

Corn  bran  

.76 

.83 

Total  

4.88 

4.79 

Feed  consumed  daily  per  hundredweight  ... 

1.29 

1.23 

Feed  per  100  pounds  gain 
Corn  .    . 

395 

402 

Tankage  

50 

54 

Corn  bran  

82 

96 

Total  

527 

552 

JOne  sow  failed  to  come  in  heat  and  was  taken  from  the  experiment  on  July  30, 
86  days  after  the  experiment  started. 

second  suckling  period.  Separate  records  were  kept  for  each  sow  and 
her  litter.  In  Table  7  will  be  found  the  most  important  data  relating 
to  this  period.  The  number  of  pigs  weaned  by  the  different  sows  var- 
ied widely  with  no  evident  relation  to  the  method  of  feeding.  In  other 
words,  the  mortality  of  the  pigs  seemed  to  be  due  to  accidental  causes 
or  to  factors  incidental  to  the  experiment.  At  weaning  time  the  aver- 
age weight  of  the  pigs  fed  white  corn  was  practically  the  same  as  that 
of  the  group  fed  yellow  corn.  The  average  daily  gain  of  the  pigs  in 
the  two  groups  was  also  practically  the  same.  The  pigs  from  both 
groups  at  weaning  time  appeared  to  be  normal  and  healthy,  altho  they 
were  undersized  for  their  age. 

The  sows  fed  yellow  corn  lost  more  weight  in  general  than  those 
fed  white  corn,  a  fact  which  is  probably  related  to  the  larger  litters 
raised  in  the  yellow  corn  group. 

Third  Gestation  Period. — Two  of  the  sows  which  had  been  fed 
thru  two  gestation  and  suckling  periods  on  a  ration  of  white  corn, 
white-corn  bran,  and  tankage,  were  bred  and  continued  on  the  same 
ration  for  a  third  gestation  period.  The  rate  and  economy  of  gains  of 
these  sows  were  satisfactory,  as  the  data  in  Table  8  indicate. 


190 


BULLETIN  No.  281 


[December, 


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1986] 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


191 


The  sows  appeared  to  be  in  good  condition  at  farrowing  time. 
However,  after  farrowing  a  normal  litter  of  pigs,  one  of  the  sows,  a 
Chester  White,  developed  inflammation  of  the  udder  and  later  pneu- 

TABLE  8. — FEED  AND  WEIGHT  RECORDS  OF  Sows  FED  WHITE  CORN  IN  THE 

THIRD,  FOURTH,  AND  FIFTH  GESTATION  PERIODS 

(All  weights  in  pounds) 


Gestation  period  

Third 

Fourth 

Fifth 

Ration  

White  corn, 

White  corn, 

White  corn, 

tankage 

tankage 

tankage, 
cod-liver  oil 
1  percent 

Number  of  sows  .• 

2 

1 

1 

Days  on  experiment  

118 

121 

118 

Weights 
Average  initial  weight  

301 

342 

358 

Average  final  weight  

430 

390 

454 

Average  daily  gain  

1.09 

.40 

.81 

Average  daily  ration 
Corn  

5.75 

3.81 

5.55 

Tankage  

.44 

.41 

.50 

Cod-liver  oil  

.08 

Total  

6.19 

4.22 

6.051 

Feed  per  100  pounds  gain  

566 

1  063 

743 

'Not  including  the  cod-liver  oil. 

monia,  and  died.  The  other  sow,  a  Duroc-Jersey,  farrowed  a  litter  of 
dead  pigs.  While  the  average  weight  of  these  pigs  (Table  9)  was  not 
much  below  normal,  they  had  very  little  hair.  They  were  examined 
for  goiter,  but  the  thyroid  glands  appeared  to  be  normal  in  size.  For 
several  weeks  after  farrowing,  the  Duroc-Jersey  sow  was  not  in  very 
good  condition. 

Fourth  Gestation  Period. — The  Duroc-Jersey  sow  surviving  the 
third  gestation  period  was  bred  as  soon  as  possible  for  a  fourth  litter, 
and  was  continued  on  the  ration  of  white  corn,  white-corn  bran, 
and  tankage.  Small  amounts  of  potassium  iodid  were  added  to  this 
ration  to  correct  a  possible  deficiency  in  iodin. 

TABLE  9. — FARROWING  RECORDS  FOR  THE  THIRD,  FOURTH,  AND  FIFTH 
GESTATION  PERIODS 


Litter.  ...... 

Third 

Fourth 

Fifth 

Sow  

17  C.  W.1 

66  D.  J. 

66  D.  J. 

66  D.  J. 

Gestation  period,  days  

115 
10 
1 
2.32 

124 

82 
8 
2.10 

118 
52 
5 

3 

118 
6 
0 
1.70 

Number  of  pigs  farrowed  

Number  of  pigs  farrowed  dead  

Average  weight  per  pig  

JSow  died  from  inflammation  of  udder  and  pneumonia.     "Farrowed  dead,  little 
hair,  otherwise  normal.   3No  weights  were  taken  on  this  litter. 


192  BULLETIN  No.  281  [December, 

After  a  gestation  period  of  normal  length,  another  litter  of  dead 
pigs  was  farrowed  by  this  sow.  These  pigs  also  were  thinly  covered 
with  hair,  tho  otherwise  they  appeared  to  be  normal.  The  sow  was 
in  good  flesh,  altho  she  did  not  appear  to  be  entirely  normal  during 
the  last  few  days  of  the  gestation  period.  This  condition  may  have 
been  caused  by  the  carrying  of  a  dead  litter.  The  records  of  this 
period  are  included  in  Tables  8  and  9  also. 

Fifth  Gestation  Period:  Supplementing  Effect  of  Cod-Liver  Oil 
Tested. — In  order  ,to  determine  whether  the  last  two  litters  of  this  sow 
were  born  dead  because  of  a  deficiency  of  the  ration  in  vitamins,  the 
sow  was  bred  and  carried  thru  a  fifth  gestation  period  on  the  same 
ration,  to  which  was  added  1  percent  of  cod-liver  oil,  known  to  be  rich 
in  fat-soluble  vitamins.  From  the  records  of  this  period  (Table  8)  it  is 
evident  that  the  sow  gained  well  during  her  fifth  gestation.  She  also 
appeared  to  be  in  much  better  physical  condition  than  during  the 
fourth  gestation  period.  A  normal  litter  of  live  and  fairly  vigorous 
pigs  was  farrowed  after  a  gestation  period  of  118  days  (Table  9). 
The  sow  was  restless,  however,  and  by  the  fourth  day  had  killed  all  her 
pigs.  Nevertheless  it  seems  fair  to  conclude  that  the  addition  of  cod- 
liver  oil  to  the  white  corn  ration  had  greatly  improved  the  reproductive 
performance  of  the  sow. 

WEANLING  PIGS  FAIL  TO  THRIVE  ON  WHITE  CORN 

Forty-five  of  the  pigs  farrowed  by  the  eight  sows  in  the  preceding 
experiment  after  their  first  experimental  gestation  period  were  divided 
into  two  groups  of  22  and  23  pigs  each.  One  group  had  been  farrowed 
by  the  sows  fed  yellow  corn,  yellow-corn  bran,  and  tankage,  and  the 
other  group  had  been  farrowed  by  the  sows  fed  white  corn,  white-corn 
bran,  and  tankage.  The  two  groups  were  continued  on  the  ration  of 
their  respective  sows  with  the  exception  that  the  corn  bran  was  elim- 
inated in  each  case.  The  same  amount  of  feed  per  100  pounds  of  live 
weight  was  fed  to  each  lot  of  pigs.  Within  three  weeks  it  became  evi- 
dent that  the  pigs  fed  yellow  corn  would  consume  much  more  feed  per 
100  pounds  live  weight  than  those  fed  white  corn.  In  the  hope  that 
the  substitution  of  pork  cracklings  for  tankage  would  induce  the  pigs 
fed  white  corn  to  consume  more  corn,  this  substitution  was  made. 
Both  lots  of  pigs  consumed  the  cracklings  readily,  but  the  daily  con- 
sumption of  corn  did  not  increase;  hence  the  feeding  of  tankage  was 
resumed. 

The  feeding  of  these  two  lots  of  pigs  was  started  May  5,  1921.  On 
June  24  four  pigs  were  taken  from  each  lot  for  a  supplementary  feed- 
ing test  which  will  be  described  later.  Again  on  August  6  four  more 
pigs  were  taken  from  each  lot  for  another  purpose,  which  also  will  be 
described  later. 


19361  A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE  193 

It  was  evident  in  a  very  short  time  after  the  experiment  was 
started  that  the  pigs  on  the  white  corn  ration  were  not  doing  so  well 
as  those  on  the  yellow  corn  ration.  On  June  5  one  of  the  pigs  in  this 
lot  was  nearly  dead,  and  was  killed  for  post-mortem  examination.  It 
appeared  to  be  blind  in  one  eye,  which  was  cloudy  in  appearance;  it 
had  intestinal  worms;  and  cultures  showed  a  condition  of  pneumonia 
complicated  with  botulism  of  Type  A.  In  view  of  the  finding  of 
botulism  in  this  pig,  the  remaining  pigs  in  both  lots  were  vaccinated 
against  botulism  on  July  19.  This  treatment  resulted  in  the  death  of 
a  second  pig  in  the  white  corn  lot,  which  went  into  convulsions  shortly 
after  treatment.  From  this  time  on,  deaths  occurred  frequently  in  the 
white  corn  lot.  Several  pigs  were  removed  from  the  lot  when  found  to 
be  nearly  dead,  and  were  submitted  to  post-mortem  examination  by 
the  Division  of  Animal  Pathology  and  Hygiene.  These  examinations 
did  not  always  reveal  abnormal  conditions.  Pneumonia,  however,  was 
present  in  several  cases. 

A  peculiar  behavior  characterized  the  pigs  kept  on  this  ration  for 
several  months.  Convulsions,  partial  loss  of  the  sense  of  balance,  and 
difficulty  in  urination,  were  often  observed  for  several  days  preceding 
death. 

By  December  17  all  the  pigs  in  the  white  corn  lot  that  had  not 
been  removed  for  other  purposes  were  dead  or  in  such  a  condition  that 
they  would  have  died  in  a  very  short  time.  The  heaviest  pig  produced 
on  the  ration  weighed  76  pounds  just  preceding  death.  The  other  pigs 
attained  weights  of  60  to  70  pounds.  The  mortality  of  this  lot  and  the 
results  of  the  post-mortem  findings  are  given  in  Table  10. 

The  amount  of  feed  per  100  pounds  live  weight  allowed  the  pigs  on 
yellow  corn  was  severely  restricted  in  accordance  with  the  feed  con- 
sumption of  the  pigs  on  white  corn ;  hence  the  pigs  on  yellow  corn  were 
maintained  for  a  considerable  time  on  what  amounted  to  a  starvation 
ration.  The  stronger  pigs  in  the  lot  secured  more  than  their  share  of 
the  feed,  and  several  of  the  weaker  pigs  were  scarcely  able  to  secure  a 
maintenance  ration.  On  August  2  two  pigs  weighing  12  and  13  pounds 
respectively,  and  apparently  at  the  point  of  death  because  of  insuffi- 
cient feed,  were  killed  and  examined,  but  nothing  positive  was  found. 
On  November  11  another  pig  died  apparently  of  starvation,  and  on 
December  14  two  more  pigs  died  apparently  from  the  same  cause. 
These  three  pigs  on  post-mortem  examination  showed  congested 
lungs.  On  December  17,  when  the  last  pig  in  the  white  corn  lot  was 
killed,  the  nine  pigs  remaining  in  the  yellow  corn  lot  averaged  82 
pounds  in  weight.  These  pigs  appeared  to  be  vigorous  and  healthy  and 
altho  stunted  from  lack  of  feed  would  probably  have  made  good  gains 
had  they  been  given  the  amount  of  feed  they  could  have  eaten.  The 
removals  of  pigs  from  this  lot  are  shown  in  Table  11. 


194 


BULLETIN  No.  281 


[December, 


TABLE  10. — CAUSES  FOR  THE  REMOVAL  OF  VARIOUS  PIGS  FROM  THE  LOT  FED 

WHITE  CORN 
(Feeding  started  May  5) 


Date 

Average 
weight  of 
ot  at  time 
of  last 
weighing 

Cause  of  removal  and  post-mortem  findings 

June  24  

Ibs. 
23 

Four  pigs  taken  from  experiment  at  weights  of  15,  18, 

July  5  

23 

24,  and  26  pounds.    Fed  butter  in  addition  to  previous 
ration  (see  text). 

Nearly  dead.    Killed  at  weight  of  14  pounds.    Blind 

July  19  

25 

in    one   eye,    had   intestinal   worms,    cultures   showed 
pneumonia  and  botulism  Type  A. 

Died  as  a  result   of  vaccination  against  botulism. 

August  2  

24 

Weight  32  pounds. 
Four  pigs  nearly  dead.     Killed  at  weights  of  13,  15, 

August  6  

24 

13,  and  17  pounds.      Nothing  positive  found  on  post- 
mortem examination. 

Four  of  the  poorest  pigs  were  taken  from  the  experi- 

October 8  
October  16  .  .  . 

Octpber  22  ... 
October  26  ... 
November  25  . 

December  14  . 
December  17 

December  17 

49 
49 

59 
59 
63 

67 
59 

59 

ment  to  be  fed  yellow  corn  and  tankage   (see  text). 
Weights  16,  20,  20,  and  24  pounds. 

Died.  Weight  24  pounds.  Lungs  congested;  emaciated. 

Died.    Weight  32  pounds.    Urinary  passage  stopped 
just  outside  bladder. 

Nearly  dead.  Killed  at  weight  of  42  pounds.  Wabbly, 
had  injured  foot,  worms. 

Died.     Weight  53  pounds.    Eyes  bad,  a  few  worms, 
lungs  in  bad  condition. 

Died.   Weight  42  pounds.   Had  been  failing  for  over  a 
month.   Was  one  of  the  best  pigs  at  one  time.   Had  a 
convulsion  on  October  16. 

Died.   Weight  70  pounds.     Worms,  severe  attack  of 
pneumonia,  had  been  the  best  pig  in  the  lot. 

Killed.      Weight  42  pounds.     Emaciated,  sarcoptic 
mange,  a  few  worms,  stones  in  kidneys,  lungs  in  fair  con- 
dition. 

Killed.    Weight  76  pounds.     Many  worms,  lungs  in 
fair  condition,  had  convulsions  at  different  times  during 
the  last  month,  was  not  doing  well. 

The  average  feed  and  weight  records  for  the  two  lots  in  this  ex- 
periment are  given  in  Table  12.  The  average  rate  of  gain  made  by  the 
pigs  fed  yellow  corn  was  twice  as  great  as  that  of  the  pigs  fed  white 
corn.  The  pigs  on  yellow  corn  also  required  only  about  one-half  as 
much  feed  to  produce  100  pounds  gain  as  was  required  by  the  pigs  on 


19281 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


195 


TABLE  11. — CAUSES  FOR  THE  REMOVAL  OF  VARIOUS  PIGS  FROM  THE 
LOT  FED  YELLOW  CORN 
(Feeding  started  May  5) 


Date 

Average 
weight  of 
lot  at  time 
of  last 
weighing 

Cause  of  removal  and  post-mortem  findings 

June  24  

Ibs. 
26 

Four  pigs  taken  from  experiment  at  weights  of  24  21 

August  2  

30 

17,  and  20  pounds  (see  text). 
Two  pigs  nearly  dead  of  starvation     Weights  12  and 

13  pounds.     No  positive  findings  on  post-mortem  ex- 
amination. 

August  6  

30 

Four  best  pigs  were  taken  from  the  experiment  to  be 
fed  white  corn  and  tankage.   Weights  43,  36,  37,  and  36 
pounds. 

November  11  . 

57 

Died.  Weight  22  pounds.  Emaciated,  bad  lungs. 

December  15.. 

66 

Died.     Weight  20  pounds.     Lungs  congested,  hard 
heart. 

December  15.  . 

66 

Died.    Weight  22  pounds.    Worms,  lungs  congested, 
hard  heart. 

white  corn.  This  difference  in  the  rate  and  economy  of  gains  occurred 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  each  group  was  given,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
the  same  amount  of  feed  per  100  pounds  live  weight. 


On  June  24  four  pigs  were  taken  from  the  white  corn  group  and 
were  given,  in  addition  to  the  ration  of  white  corn  and  tankage  in  as 
large  quantities  as  they  would  consume,  one-tenth  pound  of  butter  per 
head  daily,  in  order  to  correct  the  deficiency  of  vitamin  A  in  their  ra- 
tion. These  pigs  were  group-fed.  As  a  control  on  this  test,  on  the 
same  date  four  pigs  were  removed  from  the  group  fed  yellow  corn 
and  were  continued  on  the  ration  of  yellow  corn  and  tankage  but  re- 
ceived in  addition  one-tenth  pound  of  lard  per  head  daily,  the  lard 
supplying  to  this  group  the  same  amount  of  fat  as  the  butter  supplied 
the  white  corn  group  but  adding  no  vitamin  A  to  the  ration.  The 
amount  of  feed  per  100  pounds  live  weight  allowed  this  group  of  four 
pigs  was  the  same  as  that  consumed  by  the  four  pigs  getting  white 
corn,  tankage,  and  butter. 

The  condition  of  the  pigs  receiving  white  corn,  tankage,  and  butter 
did  not  improve,  and  at  the  end  of  78  days  the  test  was  discontinued. 


196 


BULLETIN  No.  281 


[December, 


TABLE  12. — RATIONS  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  USED  FOR  WEANLING  PIGS 
(All  weights  in  pounds) 


Lot  No  

1 

2 

Ration  

White  corn, 

Yellow  corn, 

tankage 

tankage 

Number  of  pigs1  

22 

23 

Days  on  experiment  

226 

226 

Weights 
Average  initial  weight  

21 

23 

Average  final  weight  

30 

46 

Average  daily  gain  

.08 

.17 

Average  daily  ration2 
Corn  

.81 

.99 

Tankage  

.14 

.17 

Pork  cracklings  

.01 

Total  

.96 

1.16 

Total  feed  consumed  per  100  pounds  gain  

1  148 

676 

'The  pigs  in  Lot  1  were  taken  from  the  litters  of  sows  fed  white  corn,  and  those  in 
Lot  2  from  the  litters  of  sows  fed  yellow  corn  during  the  gestation  and  suckling  periods. 
Eight  pigs  were  taken  from  each  lot  for  other  tests.  Five  of  the  pigs  in  Lot  2  and  14 
in  Lot  1  died  or  were  killed  when  nearly  dead.  2The  two  lots  of  pigs  were  fed  the  same 
amounts  of  feed  daily  per  hundredweight. 

During  this  period  one  pig  on  the  white  corn  ration  was  in  such  poor 
condition  that  it  could  hardly  stand.  It  was  therefore  killed  and  post- 
mortem examination  revealed  nothing  positive  except  a  spotted  condi- 
tion of  the  liver.  On  September  9,  the  day  before  the  test  ended,  an- 
other pig  in  this  lot  died.  Apparently  these  pigs  were  so  greatly  injured 
by  the  continued  feeding  of  white  corn  that  the  addition  of  vitamin  A 
in  the  butter  exerted  no  favorable  effect. 

The  feed  and  weight  records  of  this  test  are  given  in  Table  13. 

EFFECT  OF  REVERSING  YELLOW  AND  WHITE  CORN  FEEDING 
On  August  6  four  of  the  poorest  pigs  were  taken  from  the  lot  fed 
white  corn  and  four  of  the  best  pigs  from  the  lot  fed  yellow  corn  and 
their  rations  reversed.    The  two  groups  were  self-fed. 

The  four  pigs  which  had  been  fed  white  corn  and  tankage  were 
apparently  so  greatly  injured  by  white  corn  feeding  that  recovery  was 
impossible  on  a  yellow  corn  ration.  After  35  days  on  yellow  corn  and 
tankage  it  was  evident  that  no  improvement  would  result  from  this 
change  and  the  group  was  discontinued. 

The  four  pigs  which  had  been  fed  yellow  corn  and  tankage  aver- 
aged 38  pounds  in  weight  when  changed  to  white  com  and  tankage. 
From  August  6  until  the  middle  of  November  these  four  pigs  made  an 
average  daily  gain  of  a  little  more  than  half  a  pound.  After  November 
19  they  did  very  poorly.  One  pig  died  on  December  12  and  the  others 
would  probably  have  died  shortly  had  they  not  been  removed  from 
the  experiment  on  December  17.  During  the  last  part  of  this  experi- 


1926} 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


197 


ment  all  these  pigs  staggered  as  they  walked,  and  one  pig  frequently 
had  convulsions. 

The  feed  and  weight  records  of  this  test  are  given  in  Table  14. 

TABLE  13. — EFFECT  ON  PIGS  OF  ADDING  BUTTER  TO  A  RATION  OF 
WHITE  CORN  AND  TANKAGE' 
(All  weights  in  pounds) 


Lot  No  

3 

4 

Ration  

Yellow  corn 
tankage, 

White  corn 
tankage, 

lard 

butter 

Number  of  pigs  

4 

4* 

Days  on  experiment  

78 

78 

Weights 
Average  initial  weight  

21 

21 

Average  final  weight  

29 

22 

Average  daily  gain  

10 

.02 

Average  feed  consumption  per  pig  per  day 
Corn  

30 

.28 

Tankage  

.08 

.07 

Butter  

.12 

Lard  

11 

Total  

49 

.47 

Feed  per  100  pounds  gain  

474 

2  235 

'The  pigs  in  Lot  3  were  taken  from  Lot  2  and  those  in  Lot  4  from  Lot  1.  2One 
pig  was  killed  at  a  weight  of  13  pounds,  50  days  after  the  experiment  began.  It  had 
been  getting  weaker  and  could  hardly  stand.  On  post-mortem  examination  the  liver 
was  found  to  be  spotted.  Another  pig  in  this  group  died  on  the  77th  day  of  the  ex- 
periment at  a  weight  of  28  pounds. 


TABLE  14. — EFFECT  OF  REVERSING  THE  RATIONS  OF  FOUR  PIGS  TAKEN 

FROM  LOT  1  AND  FOUR  FROM  LOT  2 

(All  weights  in  pounds) 


From  Lot  No  

2 

1 

Ration  

Yellow  corn, 

White  corn, 

tankage 

tankage 

Number  of  pigs  

41 

42 

Days  on  experiment  

35 

133 

Weights 
Average  initial  weight  

20 

38 

Average  final  weight  

23 

101 

Average  daily  gain  

.07 

.43 

Average  feed  consumption  per  pig  per  day 
Corn  

.57 

1.92 

Tankage  

.15 

.39 

Total  

.72 

2.31 

Feed  per  100  pounds  gain  

1  078 

532 

JOne  pig  died  at  a  weight  of  20  pounds  29  days  after  the  experiment  started 
2One  pig  died  from  pneumonia  5  days  before  the  close  of  the  experiment;  all  pigs  in. 
the  lot  staggered  as  they  walked,  one  pig  had  convulsions  every  few  days  as  early  as 
the  8th  week  of  the  experiment. 


198  BULLETIN  No.  281  [December, 

PIGS  RAISED  ON  NORMAL  RATIONS  TO  SIXTY  TO  SEVENTY 

POUNDS  EVENTUALLY  ARE  HANDICAPPED 

BY  WHITE  CORN  FEEDING 

It  is  known  that  animals  raised  on  rations  containing  an  abund- 
ance of  vitamin  A  are  capable  of  storing  considerable  amounts  of  this 
vitamin,  so  that  if  they  are  subsequently  put  upon  rations  free  from 
or  deficient  in  vitamin  A,  they  will  continue  to  grow  normally  for  some 
time.  It  was  thought  advisable,  therefore,  to  find  out  whether  pigs 
grown  on  good  rations  to  weights  of  60  to  70  pounds  could  complete 
their  growth  to  market  weight  as  economically  on  a  ration  of  white 
corn  and  tankage  as  on  a  ration  of  yellow  corn  and  tankage. 

Sixteen  pigs  were  taken  for  experiment.  They  had  been  raised  to 
60  to  70  pounds  on  good  rations  at  the  University  farms  and  were  from 
sows  fed  normal  rations.  They  were  divided  into  two  lots  of  eight  pigs 
each  averaging  approximately  the  same  weight.  The  first  lot  was  fed 
a  ration  of  white  corn  and  tankage,  and  the  second  lot  a  ration  of 
yellow  corn  and  tankage.  As  in  most  of  the  preceding  experiments, 
the  amounts  of  feed  given  the  two  lots  per  100  pounds  live  weight  were 
kept  the  same  within  narrow  limits.  Any  differences  resulting  from 
these  two  methods  of  feeding  must  be  due,  therefore,  to  the  quality 
and  characteristics  of  the  feed  itself  rather  than  to  an  unequal  con- 
sumption of  the  two  rations. 

For  some  time  the  appetites  of  the  two  groups  of  pigs  apparently 
were  about  equal;  both  lots  can  therefore  be  considered  as  being 
on  full  feed  during  the  first  few  months  of  the  experiment.  The  char- 
acteristic effect  of  a  lack  of  vitamin  A  on  the  appetite  of  pigs  did  not 
show  up  until  the  fifth  month  of  feeding,  at  which  time  the  feed  con- 
sumption of  the  pigs  on  white  corn  and  tankage  was  not  up  to  normal. 
As  each  pig  reached  a  weight  of  approximately  225  pounds  it  was 
taken  out  of  the  experiment. 

About  six  months  after  the  experiment  started  characteristic  path- 
ological symptoms  appeared  in  the  pigs  fed  white  corn,  altho  all  the 
pigs  except  one  reached  a  weight  of  225  pounds.  This  pig  died  on  the 
232d  day  of  feeding,  at  a  weight  of  178  pounds.  For  two  weeks  pre- 
ceding its  death  it  had  frequent  convulsions. 

Even  under  such  a  restricted  method  of  feeding  as  was  used  in 
this  experiment  (Table  15),  the  pigs  on  the  yellow  corn  ration  made 
considerably  faster  and  more  economical  gains  than  those  on  the  white 
corn  ration.  It  seems  probable  from  this  experiment  that  the  stores  of 
vitamin  A  possessed  by  the  pigs  fed  white  corn  at  the  start  of  the  ex- 
periment were  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  gain  100  pounds  in  weight, 
or  slightly  more,  at  a  normal  rate.1 

'If  the  differences  in  growth  and  condition  observed  between  these  two 
groups  of  pigs  had  been  due  in  part  or  entirely  to  a  difference  in  the  vitamin  D 


19881 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


199 


TABLE  15. — RESULTS  FROM  USING  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  RATIONS  FOR 

PIGS  OF  70  POUNDS  WEIGHT 

(All  weights  in  pounds) 


Ration1  

Yellow  corn, 

White  corn, 

tankage 

tankage 

Number  of  pigs2  

8 

83 

Days  on  experiment  (average)  

183 

211 

Weights 
Average  initial  weight  

69 

68 

Average  final  weight  

230 

229 

Average  daily  gain  

.88 

.75 

Average  daily  ration 
Corn  .    . 

3.78 

3.67 

Tankage  

39 

.37 

Total  

4.17 

4.04 

Feed  per  100  pounds  gain 
Corn  

428 

487 

Tankage  

44 

50 

Total  

472 

537 

JThe  same  amounts  of  feed  were  fed  daily  per  hundredweight.  2Each  pig  was 
taken  from  the  experiment  when  it  reached  approximately  225  pounds  in  weight. 
3Pig  died  April  30,  after  232  days  on  the  white  corn  ration,  at  a  weight  of  178  pounds. 
It  had  convulsions  every  few  days  for  2  weeks  preceding  its  death.  Two  other  pigs 
staggered  during  the  last  month  of  experiment. 


content  of  the  rations,  a  defective  calcium  assimilation  in  the  pigs  fed  white  corn, 
manifested  by  a  lowered  calcium  content  of  the  bones,  should  be  demonstrable. 
Selected  bones  from  five  of  the  pigs  on  white  corn  and  two  of  the  pigs  on  yellow 
corn  were  therefore  measured  and  analyzed,  with  the  following  results: 


Volume 

Sp.  gr. 

Calcium 

of  bone 

of  bone 

Moisture 

Ash 

Protein 

Calcium 

in  ash 

cc. 

perct. 

perct. 

perct. 

perct. 

perct. 

Pigs  fed  white  corn 

Humerus  

230 

1.09 

26.9 

42.5 

25.5 

15.8 

37.2 

239 

1.06 

24.9 

44  4 

24.9 

36.8 

37.8 

140 

1.34 

26.6 

45.4 

24.6 

18.3 

40.3 

24.8 

37.3 

24.5 

14.9 

40.0 

219 

l'.33 

22.2 

42.0 

23.1 

16.1 

38.3 

Ulna-radius  

130 

1.31 

24  5 

44.9 

27.6 

17.2 

38.3 

138 

1.26 

22.6 

45.3 

27.9 

17.8 

39.3 

23.1 

40.8 

25.9 

16.4 

40.2 

U7 

i.40 

23.8 

45.5 

29.1 

18.6 

40.9 

Pigs  fed  yellow  corn 

Humerus 

150 

1.23 

31.0 

44.0 

26.8 

17.1 

38.9 

184 

1.32 

23.1 

39.8 

22.6 

15.9 

40.0 

Ulna-radius  

98 

1.25 

25.6 

43.5 

27.9 

16.8 

38.6 

The  analysis  of  the  humerus  of  a  pig  not  taken  from  the  experiment  but 
slaughtered  at  the  same  time  was:  specific  gravity  1.16,  moisture  29.5,  ash  43.5, 
protein  27.0,  calcium  15,4,  and  calcium  in  ash  35.4. 

There  apparently  is  no  reason  for  suspecting  a  defective  calcium  assimila- 
tion in  the  pigs  fed  white  corn,  or  a  deficiency  of  the  ration  in  vitamin  D  under 
the  conditions  of  this  experiment. 


200  BULLETIN  No.  281  [December, 

SMALL  AMOUNTS  OF  ALFALFA  MEAL  EFFECTIVELY 
SUPPLEMENT  WHITE  CORN  RATION 

When  the  feed  consumption  of  pigs  on  yellow  corn  rations  is  re- 
stricted to  accord  with  the  feed  consumption  of  pigs  on  white  corn 
rations,  the  differences  in  rate  and  economy  of  gains  resulting  can  be 
due  only  to  some  nutritive  deficiency  in  white  corn.  However,  this 
plan  of  equalizing  feed  intakes  cannot  reveal  the  total  effect,  direct 
and  indirect,  of  this  deficiency.  Especially  in  practical  feeding  the 
effect  of  such  a  deficiency  on  the  appetite  and  the  consumption  of  feed 
is  a  matter  of  great  importance.  In  this  experiment,  therefore,  the 
white  and  yellow  corn  rations  were  self-fed.  This  experiment  involved 
a  comparison  of  two  varieties  of  white  corn,  namely,  Silver  Mine  and 
White  Democrat,  and  also  was  concerned  with  the  supplementing  effect 
of  alfalfa  meal  on  white  corn. 

The  experiment  was  started  January  14,  1922,  using  eighty  pigs 
averaging  about  60  pounds  in  weight,  which  were  from  sows  fed 
normal  rations.  The  pigs  were  divided  into  four  equal  lots  and  were 
fed  the  following  feeds  in  separate  compartments  of  the  self-feeder: 

Lot  1 — Yellow  corn  and  tankage 

Lot  2 — White  corn  (Silver  Mine)  and  tankage 

Lot  3 — White  corn  (Silver  Mine),  tankage,  and  ground  alfalfa 

Lot  4 — White  corn  (Democrat)  and  tankage 

The  feed  and  weight  records  of  this  experiment  are  given  in 
Table  16. 

The  average  rates  of  gain  and  the  amounts  of  consumed  feed  per 
100  pounds  gain  were  very  nearly  the  same  in  Lot  1,  getting  yellow 
corn  and  tankage,  and  Lot  3,  getting  white  corn  (Silver  Mine) ,  tank- 
age, and  ground  alfalfa.  No  particular  abnormal  behavior  was  noted 
in  Lot  3;  which  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  small  amount  of  al- 
falfa consumed  by  this  group  (averaging  only  a  little  over  one  ounce 
per  head  per  day)  was  sufficient  to  correct  fully  the  deficiency  in  white 
corn,  at  least  until  a  weight  of  225  pounds  was  reached. 

Lot  2,  on  Silver  Mine  white  corn  and  tankage,  made  slightly 
slower  gains  than  the  lots  just  considered,  tho  the  economy  of  gains 
was  about  the  same.  One  pig  in  this  lot  died  early  in  the  experiment 
from  an  unknown  cause.  Three  other  pigs  died  of  cholera  on  May  2, 
the  108th  day  of  the  experiment,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  all  pigs  in 
the  experiment  had  been  vaccinated  twice  for  cholera.  Toward  the 
close  of  the  experiment  two  pigs  in  this  lot  showed  characteristic 
symptoms  of  white  corn  feeding,  appearing  weak  and  staggering  as 
they  walked. 

The  results  with  the  White  Democrat  corn  are  of  considerable 
importance,  since  this  variety  of  corn  seems  especially  resistant  to 
chinch  bugs  and  is  widely  grown  in  those  parts  of  the  state  where  this 


1926} 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


201 


pest  is  frequently  found.  The  pigs  on  the  White  Democrat  corn  ration 
did  not  thrive  as  well  as  those  on  the  other  rations.  While  the  observed 
symptoms  of  white  corn  feeding  were  no  more  severe  in  this  lot  than 
in  the  lot  getting  Silver  Mine  corn  and  tankage,  the  food  consumption 
was  considerably  less,  apparently  due  to  the  fact  that  the  pigs  had 
some  difficulty  in  grinding  the  hard,  flinty  kernels.  Three  pigs  in  this 
lot  showed  pathological  symptoms  toward  the  end  of  the  experiment, 
and  one  of  the  three  died  the  day  before  the  lot  was  taken  off  experi- 
ment. 

TABLE  16. — RESULTS  FROM  SELF-FEEDING  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  RATIONS  TO 

PIGS  AVERAGING  60  POUNDS  IN  WEIGHT  AT  BEGINNING  OF  EXPERIMENT 

(All  weights  in  pounds) 


Lot  No  

1 

2 

3 

4 

Ration  

Yellow  corn, 
tankage 

White  corn, 
(Silver  Mine), 
tankage 

White  corn 
(Silver  Mine), 
tankage, 
ground  alfalfa 

White  corn 
(Democrat), 
tankage 

Number  of  pigs  

20 
126 

201 
126 

202 
126 

203 
167 

Days  on  experiment  

Weights 
Average  initial  weight.  .  . 
Average  final  weight  .... 
Average  dailv  gain  

61 
226 
1.31 

5.23 
.49 

62 
225 
1.22 

4.76 
.51 

5  '.27 

388 
42 

61 
227 
1.30 

5.04 
.54 
.08 
5.66 

387 
42 
7 
436 

61 
223 
.96 

4.01 
.45 

Average  daily  ration 
Corn  

Tankage  

Ground  alfalfa  

Total  

5.72 

397 

38 

4.46 

418 

47 

465" 

Feed  per  100  pounds  gain 
Corn  

Tankage  

Ground  alfalfa  

Total  

435 

430 

'One  pig  died  at  a  weight  of  42  pounds  55  days  after  the  experiment  started; 
cause  of  death  unknown.  Three  pigs  died  of  cholera  on  the  108th  day  of  the  experi- 
ment, weighing  138,  183,  and  197  pounds.  Two  pigs  in  this  lot  staggered  somewhat 
near  the  end  of  the  experiment.  2One  pig  weighing  43  pounds  was  taken  out  on  the 
21st  day  of  the  experiment,  and  was  replaced  by  another  pig  weighing  93  pounds. 
3One  pig  weighing  196  pounds  died  the  day  before  the  experiment  closed.  At  the  end 
of  the  experiment  3  other  pigs  showed  characteristic  indications  of  white  corn  feeding. 

The  most  interesting  result  of  this  experiment  is  that  very  small 
amounts  of  alfalfa  meal  may  correct  the  deficiency  of  white  corn  dur- 
ing the  ordinary  fattening  periods  of  pigs  in  the  corn  belt. 

ONE  PERCENT  OF  COD-LIVER  OIL  ALSO  PROVES  EFFEC- 
TIVE SUPPLEMENT  TO  WHITE  CORN  RATION 

While  it  is  fair  to  conclude  that  the  differences  observed  in  the 
rate  and  economy  of  gains  of  growing  pigs  fed  in  dry  lot  on  rations  of 
white  corn  and  tankage  and  yellow  corn  and  tankage  are  in  all  proba- 
bility due  to  a  deficiency  of  vitamin  A  in  the  white  corn,  the  results 


202  BULLETIN  No.  281  {December, 

so  far  do  not  demonstrate  that  point.  The  experiment  described  in  this 
section  was  planned,  therefore,  to  settle  definitely  the  precise  nature  of 
the  deficiency  of  white  corn.  For  this  purpose  a  ration  of  white  corn 
and  tankage  was  compared  with  a  ration  of  white  corn  and  tankage 
containing  approximately  1  percent  of  cod-liver  oil.  At  the  time  the 
experiment  was  planned,  it  was  not  known  that  two  distinct  fat-soluble 
vitamins  are  present  in  cod-liver  oil,  and  that  white  corn  is  probably 
deficient  in  both.  In  spite  of  this  fact  the  results  of  this  experiment 
can  probably  be  interpreted  in  terms  of  vitamin  A  only,  since  the  effect 
of  any  deficiency  in  vitamin  D  (the  anti-rachitic  vitamin)  was  prob- 
ably minimized,  if  not  removed  entirely,  by  the  fact  that  the  pigs  in 
both  lots  received  plenty  of  direct  sunlight.  Animals  kept  in  direct 
sunlight  apparently  do  not  need  vitamin  D. 

Two  lots  of  ten  pigs  each,  averaging  about  50  pounds  per  pig,  were 
used  in  this  experiment.  The  rations  were  self -fed.  Lot  2  received 
white  corn  and  tankage  only,  while  Lot  1  received  cod-liver  oil1  to  the 
extent  of  1  percent  of  the  corn  consumed.  The  cod-liver  oil  was  poured 
over  the  corn  in  the  self-feeder  in  the  proportion  of  1  part  by  weight 
of  oil  to  100  of  corn. 

Both  lots  of  pigs  made  similar  gains  for  six  weeks  to  two  months 
after  the  experimental  feeding  was  started.  Later,  however,  the  pigs 
receiving  cod-liver  oil  consumed  more  of  their  ration  and  gained  more 
rapidly  in  weight  than  the  pigs  receiving  no  cod-liver  oil.  At  the  end 
of  182  days  of  feeding,  when  the  experiment  was  terminated,  the  pigs 
getting  cod-liver  oil  averaged  238  pounds  in  weight.  All  ten  pigs  were 
alive  and  in  excellent  market  condition,  showing  no  indication  of  ab- 
normal behavior  of  any  kind. 

In  the  lot  not  getting  cod-liver  oil  the  symptoms  of  vitamin  de- 
ficiency began  to  appear  after  about  two  months  of  feeding.  The  ap- 
petites of  the  pigs  declined,  and  in  the  last  month  of  the  experiment 
three  of  the  pigs  died,  showing  the  typical  symptoms  of  white  corn 
feeding.  While  the  other  pigs  after  182  days  on  the  experiment  ap- 
peared to  be  reasonably  thrifty,  their  gains  were  not  satisfactory.  As 
Table  17  shows,  the  average  daily  gain  of  the  pigs  not  getting  cod-liver 
oil  was  only  about  one-half  that  of  the  pigs  getting  this  supplement, 
and  the  economy  of  gains  was  correspondingly  lower. 

Because  of  the  heavy  losses  sustained  in  Lot  2  after  June  9,  no 
further  feed  records  are  reported  for  the  two  lots  after  this  date.  Both 
lots,  however,  were  continued  on  their  respective  rations.  All  ten  pigs 
getting  cod-liver  oil  continued  to  thrive  until,  at  an  average  weight  of 
300  pounds,  they  were  sold  at  market.  The  remaining  pigs  in  the  other 
lot  (Lot  2)  went  from  bad  to  worse,  their  symptoms  including  a  lack 
of  appetite,  staggering,  roughened  hair  coat,  and  staring  eyes.  By  the 
middle  of  August  all  the  pigs  in  this  lot  were  dead  except  one.  The 


aSquibb's  best  grade  of  cod-liver  oil  was  used  in  this  work. 


1926} 


A  COMPARISON  OF  WHITE  AND  YELLOW  CORN  FOR  SWINE 


203 


remaining  pig,  altho  emaciated  and  very  weak,  lived  thru  the  summer. 
In  the  early  fall  dry  leaves  which  blew  into  the  dry  lot  in  which  the 
pig  was  kept  were  eaten  greedily  by  this  animal,  and  within  two  weeks 
its  condition  was  much  improved.  It  was  then  turned  out  on  blue- 
grass  pasture,  and  within  a  short  time  all  abnormal  symptoms  disap- 
peared and  the  pig  showed  a  normal  gain  in  weight. 

TABLE  17. — SUPPLEMENTING  EFFECT  OF  COD-LIVER  OIL  IN  A  RATION  OF  CORN 

AND  TANKAGE  SELF-FED 

(All  weights  in  pounds) 


Lot  No  

1 

2 

Ration  

White  corn, 
tankage,  cod- 

White  corn, 

liver  oil 
1    percent 

tankage 

Number  of  pigs  

10 

10s 

Days  on  experiment  

182 

182 

Weights 
Average  initial  weight  

49 

50 

Average  final  weight  

238 

173 

Average  daily  gain  

1.04 

.58 

Average  daily  ration 
Corn  

4.13 

2.92 

Tankage  

.34 

.34 

Total1  

4.47 

3.26 

Reed  per  100  pounds  gain 
Corn  

399 

505 

Tankage  

33 

59 

Total  

432 

564 

^od-liver  oil  not  included  in  total.    2Three  pigs  died  on  the  149th,  152d  and 
168th  days  of  the  experiment,  at  weights  of  92,  98,  and  106  pounds,  respectively. 

Since  the  differences  in  condition  and  thrift  shown  in  the  two  lots 
of  this  experiment  occurred  in  the  spring  and  early  summer,  when  the 
length  of  exposure  to  direct  sunlight  would  appear  to  be  adequate  to 
protect  against  rickets,  it  is  considered  reasonable  to  explain  the  dif- 
ferences in  results  in  Lots  1  and  2  as  being  due  entirely  to  a  difference 
in  the  vitamin  A  content  of  the  rations. 


CONCLUSIONS 

White  corn  is  not  so  satisfactory  as  yellow  corn  for  growing  and 
fattening  pigs  under  restricted  dry-lot  conditions  such  as  prevail  on 
most  corn-belt  farms  in  the  winter,  gains  and  health  of  pigs  consid- 
ered. This  lower  feeding  value  of  white  corn  apparently  is  due  to  its 
deficiency  in  vitamin  A.  White  Democrat  corn,  as  well  as  Silvermine, 
is  deficient  in  this  respect. 

Young  pigs  are  much  more  quickly  affected  by  white  corn  rations 
containing  no  source  of  vitamin  A  than  are  old  pigs,  evidences  of  mal- 


204  BULLETIN  No.  281 

nutrition  developing  much  earlier  in  the  young  pigs.  If  pigs  farrowed 
from  sows  that  have  been  kept  on  such  white  corn  rations  during  ges- 
tation are  put  on  the  same  rations  at  weaning,  very  little  if  any 
growth  will  be  obtained.  On  the  other  hand,  if  pigs  are  raised  on  nor- 
mal rations  containing  an  adequate  supply  of  vitamin  A,  they  may 
store  enough  of  this  vitamin  in  their  bodies  to  carry  them  thru  a  gain 
of  100  to  125  pounds  on  white  corn  rations  just  as  economically  as  if 
they  were  fed  yellow  corn.  Eventually,  however,  malnutrition,  due  to 
lack  of  vitamin  A,  will  develop. 

Brood  sows  raised  upon  well-balanced  rations  may  withstand  the 
ill  effects  resulting  from  the  deficiency  of  vitamin  A  in  white  corn  ra- 
tions for  two  gestation  and  lactation  periods,  tho  eventually  their  fer- 
tility is  impaired.  Furthermore,  pigs  farrowed  in  the  first  two  litters  on 
white  corn  feeding  may  grow  as  rapidly  during  the  suckling  period 
as  other  pigs  farrowed  from  sows  subsisting  upon  yellow  corn  rations. 
Evidently  enough  vitamin  A  is  stored  in  the  sow  during  a  protracted 
period  of  adequate  feeding  to  supply  the  requirements  of  two  litters  of 
pigs  up  to  weaning  time. 

Small  amounts  of  alfalfa  meal  and  cod-liver  oil,  which  are  rich  in 
vitamin  A,  are  effective  supplements  for  white  corn  rations.  They 
correct  completely  the  deficiency  of  such  rations  in  this  important 
vitamin,  and  where  pigs  are  kept  out  of  doors,  exposed  to  direct  sun- 
light, they  appear  to  render  white  corn  as  valuable  as  yellow  corn  for 
growing  and  fattening  pigs  and  for  brood  sows. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


